shy
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- 1 shy、bashful
It describes someone who easily feels shy or self-conscious around other people.
shy、bashful
It describes a tendency to feel bashful and hold back when interacting with others or receiving attention.
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ตอนเด็กๆฉันขี้อายมาก tɔɔn dèk dèk chǎn khîiaay mâak I was very shy as a child. ตอนเด็กๆฉันขี้อายมาก details
Learning notes
Explanation
The word combines ขี้, which here marks a tendency, with อาย, meaning to feel shy or embarrassed. Together they describe someone who is readily affected by shyness. This is an ordinary standard Thai word used for both children and adults. It can be mildly critical or affectionate, depending on the context. It follows a noun in คนขี้อาย, “a shy person,” and can also serve directly as a predicate in เขาขี้อาย, “They are shy.” With เป็น, use เป็นคนขี้อาย, “to be a shy person.”
Usage
Use it when introducing yourself or describing someone's personality. Typical contexts include hesitating to speak to new people, feeling uncomfortable speaking in front of a group, or becoming bashful around someone you like.
Caution
Being ขี้อาย is not the same as being quiet or introverted: shyness involves self-consciousness around others. It is also distinct from ขี้กลัว, which means easily frightened or fearful.
Differences from similar words
1 shy synonyms
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อาย describes feeling shy, embarrassed, or ashamed, including in a particular moment. ขี้อาย describes a person's tendency to be shy.